Washington, September 24, 2020, SPA -- The number of people filing initial applications for U.S. state unemployment benefits increased unexpectedly last week, the U.S. government reported Thursday. The U.S. Labor Department said jobless claims rose to 870,000 last week from 866,000 a week earlier. Economists had forecast claims to decline to 840,000 last week. --SPA 17:37 LOCAL TIME 14:37 GMT 0011 www.spa.gov.sa/w1417390